Are the Winnipeg Blue Bombers really that loud? We hope so! We went to the Banjo Bowl with our trusty iPhone and Android Phone to take some sound levels and prove just how loud our proud fans can be. We were not disappointed.
The Claim: Winnipeg Bomber's Fans Are The Loudest In The CFL
We've heard the claim for for years and at games like the Banjo Bowl even the local press talk about it. They did in 2017 and just recently that topic resurfaced in this article just a few days a go in the Winnipeg Free Press called Loud 'n Proud.
The Decibel scale to measure sound is a logarithmic scale - a 3 dB change in noise level doubles the sound level.
Our Method
The method wasn't overly scientific but did make a good attempt at reasonable accuracy. Prior to the game we both downloaded a sound level measuring app from NIOSH which is tuned for each model of iPhone. We expect that Candice's iPhone will be a bit more accurate than Kerry's Android which should still be reasonably accurate.
First we made sure to arrive early, meet our friends and enjoy ourselves! Once in our seats in the end zone, we would take turns, phone in hand recording with the hold max sound level function on, to make sure we didn't miss anything. Plus, one of use kept notes when we had a spike in volume.
The Sound Readings!
First half readings were from Kerry's Android app and the second half was from Candice's iPhone.
With no waiting, just 1min 10 seconds into the game's 1st quarter, we hit 104 dB Max (just below the round dial to the right). That is starting to approach chainsaw loud. In fact it is as loud as what the article from 2017 was recording on the field in Saskatchewan.
As you can imagine there is nothing like the first touchdown to really get the crowd roaring. We recorded a 115 dB spike right after first touchdown with Kerry's phone. Wow - that was as loud about as loud as a power saw or an ambulance siren. You wouldn't want ot have to listen to that level of intensity for too long.
The third image below was taken for another Winnipeg first down call show the fans belting out another 104 dB - consistent.
The fourth image was from a flag against Sask hit a whopping 113 dB which is enough to say pass the earplugs.
The rest of our readings hit even higher. It's amazing to see but yes - 121 dB! At that point we are talking about thunder clap loud. rock concert and even standing a couple hundred feet away from a turbo fan jet taking off. Extremely loud is a safe description.
Some Observations From Our Testers
One interesting observation the fans didn't seem nearly as loud this game! Maybe because we destroyed them and the defense wasn't calling for the fans to be as loud as often. I can't wait to compare these levels to the next game. That said though, taking measurements from the stands is far different than taking them on the field. Sound drops off very fast with distance ( it's an inverse square relationship) so what is extremely loud in the stands is significantly less loud in the field.
Conclusion
Winnipeg fans are ridiculously loud and and as far as we are concerned - the loudest fans in the CFL as measured from the stands!
